HOUSEHOLD HINTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 20 July 1929, Page 10

HOUSEHOLD HINTS

THINGS USEFUL TO KNOW .MAKING THE COAL LAST LONGER It is often possible, by means ol’ little economics and contrivances, to make our coal last a longer time than usual. Coal is such an expensive item of housekeeping that any method by which money oii it can be saved is well worth trying. One of the best ways to economise in coal is to make up a fire, say early in the afternoon, with several lumps of coal, perhaps a log or two of wood and a sprinkling of coke, and cover the whole with two shovelfuls of fine slack. Leave the fire to burn slowly and undisturbed, and in a few hours you will have a fine lire giving out great heat and requiring no further attention for some time. A lire that is being constantly poked and “made up” burns rapidly. It is a useful plan to sprinkle coal in the coal-cellar with a solution of soda and water. To a gallon of water allow a handful of washing soda, and sprinkle the coal with the mixture. Allow to dry before using. Newspaper balls are also a great saving. Soak the papers in water, squeeze out; and form into balls. When the fire is roil place on the balls and cover witli small coal. The following compost is also well worth trying: Alix equal quantities of sand, sawdust and coal dust, and add to tlie mixture an equal quantity of clay. Form into balls and dry. Placed on the lop of glowing coal they will produce a strong anil lasting heat. Sifted ashes mixed with clanip coal dust will, if laid on a bright fire, keep it going for many hours. Useful briquettes can be made from coal dust. Clav mixed with the dust helps to bind it. and sawdust or' fine wood sweepings may be added. For shaping the bricks small flower-pots can be used. TJic briquette should be pressed into them. The pots should then be carefully removed, and tlie bricks left to dry "before being bandied. Modern slowcombustion grates, in which wood burns so well, and coke boilers, which burn rubbish such as potato peelings and tea-leaves as well as coke, arc great boons. . HOW TO CLEAN PLASTER CASTS AND STATUES Make a creamy solution of powdered starch and cold' water. Apply with a soft brush, taking care to work well into all the crevices. When dry, tlie starch can be gently brushed oft, anil all dirt will come away with it. GENERAL Enlarged pores of the skin are caused through neglecting to rinse the lace in cold water after it has been Hashed witli warm water. To prevent ■ mould from forming on top of tlie liquid in which pickles are kept, add a few pieces of horseradish root. ... The water in which rice lias been boiled makes excellent starch if two or three drops of turpentine are added. When washing chamois leather, allow as much soap as possible to remain in it. When dry it will look like new. Always add a little vinegar to the water, in which an egg is poached. This prevents it from breaking. If a lump- of soda is ‘dissolved in a little hot water and added to ‘the blue water, it prevents the blue from settling in patches- on the clothes and makes them perfectly white. The cord used for piping loose chair covers is apt to shrink from the first time the covers are washed,‘and causes the seams to have a puckered appearance. If the cord is washed, boiled, and dried before being used, this difficulty is overcome. Linoleum painted with shellac gives a brilliant polish without causing a siuiperv surface, and obviates the necessity of cleaning the linoleum every day. '